$300m spending to enhance access to Sentosa

LTA, Sentosa roll out measures to raise accessibility as they prepare for IR opening

SENTOSA and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are spending $300 million to bolster infrastructure, widen roads and put new trains on the island’s monorail tracks as they prepare for the opening of Resorts World Sentosa – Singapore’s first integrated resort.

‘We expect Sentosa’s annual visitor numbers to more than double in the coming years,’ said Mike Barclay, chief executive of Sentosa Development Corporation. The island gets about 6 million visitors a year now, but this is expected to rise to 15-20 million visitors over the coming years.

The measures taken by Sentosa Development Corporation and LTA are intended to facilitate access to Sentosa across all modes of transport, Mr Barclay added.

They are focused on three main areas: improving the road infrastructure in and around Sentosa; increasing the capacity and variety of public transport options between the mainland and Sentosa and also within Sentosa itself; and reviewing the pricing strategy of the various modes of transport into the island.

There will be changes to the gantry and car park charges to encourage visitors to take public transport, car pool or share cabs during peak hours.

‘We urge the public to take advantage of public transport to go to Sentosa and the resort,’ said LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee.

For example, the existing charges are $2 for each private vehicle as well as $2 for each visitor. This will be replaced with variable flat charges on a per vehicle basis. Under the new system, a vehicle can pay up to $7 to enter the island, regardless of the number of passengers in the car.

On the other hand, public transport will become cheaper in some cases. The price of the shuttle bus service into the island will be cut by $1. Sentosa has also increased the capacity of the monorail trains in the island.

Outside the island, LTA has completed several enhancements to the road network. These include the reconfiguration of the ramp system to the West Coast Highway viaduct, which was completed last month.

A second vehicular bridge – which runs parallel to the existing bridge – linking Sentosa to the mainland was also opened in September last year, doubling road capacity to and from the island.

And more plans are in the pipeline. Sentosa is looking to further improve links within the island and is looking at a second cableway system and a buggy service for hotel guests.

A tender has also been called to introduce shuttle services between Sentosa and Changi Airport, hotels, key shopping districts and Singapore’s heartlands by the second quarter of 2010.

Source: Business Times, 8 Jan 2010